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Pharrell Williams Profile |
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Birth Date: April 5, 1973
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Birth Place: Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
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Birth Name: Pharrell Williams
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Height: 5'9"
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Biography |
Pharrell Williams (born April 5, 1973) is an American
producer, singer, rapper, and songwriter. He is one half of
the production duo The Neptunes (with Chad Hugo) with whom
he produces hip-hop, R&B and pop music. He is also the lead
singer and drummer of the funk-rock band, N*E*R*D. He
released his debut single "Frontin'" in 2003 and followed up
with his debut album In My Mind in 2006.
As part of The Neptunes, Pharrell has produced numerous hit
singles for various music stars. He plays the drums,
keyboard, and sings in a falsetto voice. Pharrell's works
have earned him three Grammy Awards amongst ten nominations.
He is also the co-founder of the clothing brand Billionaire
Boys Club and Ice Cream Footwear.
Pharrell was born in Virginia Beach, VA. He has two younger
brothers; Cato and Solomon and two half-brothers; Pharoah
Williams III and David Williams.[1] Cato is a professional
skateboarder. David is a business owner in Delaware.
Pharrell and Hugo met at a junior high school band camp
where Williams was a drummer and Hugo played tenor
saxophone. They were also both members of a marching band,
where Pharrell played the snare drum, and with Chad as a
student conductor. In the 1990s, Hugo and Pharrell formed a
4-piece "R&B type" group along with friends Shay and Mike
Etheridge, which they named The Neptunes. They later entered
a high school talent show where they were discovered by
Teddy Riley, whose studio was close to Pharrell's school
Princess Anne High School. After graduating from high
school, they signed with Riley as a group.
Through working with Teddy Riley, Pharrell went on to write
Riley's verse for Wreckx-N-Effect's 1992 hit "Rump Shaker"
(#2 Billboard Hot 100, 2x Platinum). In 1994, Hugo and
Williams had established themselves formally as a production
duo under the previously used name "The Neptunes", and
produced "Tonight's The Night" from BLACKstreet's
self-titled debut (Riley being a member of BLACKstreet).
Over the next three years they continued to produce
occasionally. Some of the production had little resemblance
to the trademark Neptunes sound present today, including
some of the productions for SWV (1996). However, some like
Mase's 1998 No.8 (Billboard Hot 100) hit "Lookin' At Me"
(from the Harlem World albu, and the most definite beginning
of the distinctive Neptunes Sound, came with N.O.R.E.'s
Superthug in 1998, reaching #36 on the Billboard Hot 100,
and gaining them widespread attention for the first time.
The duo then went on to work heavily with Kelis, producing
her first album Kaleidoscope and Ol' Dirty Bastard's record
Got your money, on which Kelis was featured, followed by
Mystikal's Shake Ya Ass and (a then newly-renamed) Diddy's
single Diddy.
In 2001 Pharrell, Hugo and Haley released their first album
as N*E*R*D; In Search Of..., in Europe (where the first
Kelis album was better received)[citation needed], with a
style similar to their Neptunes production. However, the
group decided that they should make their work as N*E*R*D
sound different, and re-recorded the album, with the
funk-rock band Spymob, for worldwide release in 2002.
In 2001 The Neptunes gained their first world-wide #1 with
Britney Spears' single, "I'm a Slave 4 U". The following
year they reached #1 in the U.S. with Nelly’s single, "Hot
in Herre". In August of the same year, The Neptunes were
named "Producers of the Year" at both The Source Awards and
the Billboard Music Awards.
Also in early 2001, The Neptunes worked with The Clipse, a
rap duo from Virginia Beach that Pharrell had met back in
1993. Williams signed the duo to Arista Records through his
recently established Star Trak Entertainment imprint. Clipse
released their commercial debut album, Lord Willin' on
August 20, 2002. The album opened at #1 on Billboard's Top
R&B/Hip-hop Album chart and #4 on the Billboard Hot 200,
fueled by the strength of its first two singles, "Grindin'"
and "When the Last Time," which peaked at #34 and #19
respectively on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2003, The Neptunes released a self-credited album called
The Neptunes Present... Clones, featuring songs and remixes
from various artists. This album topped the US Billboard 200
Albums Chart. The Neptunes and Pharrell specifically were
also kept in public eye largely due to ties with Jay-Z,
producing several hit singles for him and landing two tracks
on his album The Black Album.
"Frontin'" was a big summer hit (the 34th biggest single of
2003 according to Billboard Magazine), and kept Williams'
momentum running up to the release of N*E*R*D's second
funk/rock-oriented album, Fly Or Die, released in March
2004. Williams' rock credentials were further bolstered by
his appearance at the 2004 Grammy Awards, performing The
Beatles' "I Saw Her Standing There" on drums along with
Sting, Dave Matthews, and Vince Gill. Pharrell went home
with two Grammy Awards that night, one for Producer of the
Year, Non-Classical, and another for Best Pop Vocal Album
for his work on Justin Timberlake's No.2 Billboard hit
Justified.
They also gained their first UK #1, again with Nelly, and
Flap Your Wings.
On September 9, 2005, Pharrell performed the opening single
from his debut solo album "In My Mind". The song, titled
"Can I Have It Like That", featuring Gwen Stefani did not do
well in the US, reaching only #48; however, it fared better
in the UK, reaching #3. Between then and the release of "In
My Mind" (on July 25, 2006), he released "Angel" (Europe
only), and later Number 1 with fellow producer/rapper Kanye
West. Several songs were also leaked to the internet before
the album was released, most notably "Mamacita" featuring
Daddy Yankee, which was subsequently cut from the final
version. "That Girl" featuring Snoop Dogg is confirmed to be
the fourth single. In 2006, he gained another hit single
with Ludacris with "Moneymaker". It is believed that Pharell
will help produce two songs for Madonna's next album to be
release at the end of 2007. During a telephone interview on
Friday 9th February to Sirius Radio, Madonna mentioned that
Pharrell was downstairs in her London home at the time.
Pharrell has been confirmed as one of the artists to perform
in the Live Earth concerts on July 7th 2007. The event is
expected to reach a global audience of over 2 billion
people. |
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Other Information |
The Neptunes have a record label under Arista Records called
Star Trak Entertainment.
Lead vocalist of the hip hop group N.E.R.D. (No One Ever
really Dies) along with Neptunes partner Chad Hugo and
rapper Shay.
N.E.R.D. does a small tour of the U.S. at clubs, parks, and
other small venues. [Summer 2002]
One half of The Neptunes, one of the biggest music producing
teams working today. Has produced hits for music acts
ranging from pop acts Britney Spears and *NSYNC, bands No
Doubt and Limp Bizkit, R&B crooners Babyface and Usher, to
rappers Nelly, Jay-Z, Ray J, Noreaga, Busta Rhymes,
Mystikal, P. Diddy, Ludacris, Ma$e, and Fabolous among many
others.
Grew up in Virginia Beach with lifelong friend and producing
partner Chad Hugo.
Attended Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach. Teddy
Riley built his studio Future Records next to Princess Anne
HS.
Parents: Pharoah and Carolyn Williams
Has 2 younger brothers, Cato and Solomon. Cato is a
professional skateboarder. There is a 10 year age difference
between Pharrell and Cato and a 20 year age difference
between Pharrell and Solomon.
He has two half brothers, Pharoah and David. David is a
furniture salesmen in Delaware.
Was among the guests at Usher Raymond's 26th birthday party.
Has his own clothing line name BBC (billionare boys club)
Collabarated with Gwen Stefani, Jay-Z, Slim Thug, Snoop
Dogg, Pusha T, Kanye West and Nelly on his debut solo album
In My Mind
Has a line of Shoes and T-Shirts called Ice-Cream.
Was a guest at Usher's 26th birthday party.
His debut album 'In My Mind' was nominated for Best Rap
Album at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in 2007. He was
beaten by Ludacris' album 'Release Therapy'. |
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